NUM is extremely shocked with Patrice Motsepe for supporting "Once empowered, always empowered principle".

NUM Press Statement,  09 September 2016

NUM is extremely shocked  with Patrice Motsepe for supporting "Once empowered, always empowered principle".

The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) woke up to outrageous and shocking statement attributed to Patrice Motsepe the Executive Chairman of African Rainbow Minerals (ARM) listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, where he said on Thursday he gave “his full backing to the once empowered, always empowered principle currently immorally persuade by the Chamber of Mines” quoting the Creamer Media. See the link below:

http://www.miningweekly.com/article/globally-competitive-mining-legislation-critically-important-motsepe-2016-09-08

The NUM is saddened and flabbergasted by these as it recently welcomed a pay out of R50 000 for each employee in various ARM joint ventures and we indicated our objective to reach meaningful recurring employee ownership scheme going forward, as all these operations currently do not have meaningful economic participation as defined in the Mining Charter (which should be inclusive of Black entrepreneurs, employees through ESOPS and communities).

The NUM is on record as opposing this regressive  “once empowered always empowered” notion pursued by the Chamber of Mines, as it seems to absolve the mining industry from decades of inequalities and oppression. “Thus advocating for a few debt-ridden and non-meaningful transactions plaguing the industry as sufficient for redressing the imbalances of the past, thus reducing the Minerals and Petroleum Resources Development Act and its objective of ensuring the Mineral Resources of the Republic belongs to the South Africans,” said the NUM Head of transformation Luthando Brukwe. 

The statement by Mr. Motsepe re-affirms the NUM’s assertions against Special Purpose Vehicles with Black Entrepreneurs, as when they are in ownership position they become as oppressive and disregard broad-based principles of ownership. The NUM in its quest to ensure employees share in the wealth they create by risking their lives on a daily basis will fight tooth and nail to ensure this regressive notion of “once empowered, always empowered” does not see the light of day and expose its proponents for their Anti-Transformation Agenda in the Republic added Luthando. 

We call on the Department of Mineral Resources to finalise the Amended Charter, as this delay creates an unnecessary vacuum which then is exploited for narrow neo-liberal and capitalistic gains by the elite. 

For more information, please contact:

Luthando Brukwe: NUM Head of Transformation: 072 022 3511

Livhuwani Mammburu: NUM National Spokesperson: 083 809 3257

The National Union of Mineworkers
7 Rissik Street.
Cnr Frederick Johannesburg
Tel: 011 377 2111 Cell: 083 809 3257
Twitter: @Num_Media

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